Road Tests

The folks at Yahoo Autos came across this different kind of YouTube video of the 2000 LW1 that invites viewers to "wax nostalgic over a Saturn." The review was recorded by Regular Car Reviews. Yahoo's Justin Hyde says the video features "astute narration to a wagonload of turn-of-the-century nostalgia. It's enough to make one pine for the plastic-body vanilla cars of yore."

From Auto123.com: Saturn's big family hauler hit the road for 2007, just a few years before the demise of the GM-owned brand. Packing room for up to eight, and riding the same platform as the Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia, the Saturn Outlook packed standard V6 power, plenty of size, available AWD, and a long list of available feature content.

I thought this forum might enjoy this video on the surprising performance of a Saturn L-Series Wagon. Is it just a grocery hauler? What happens after you take a look under the hood? That part kicks in about halfway through.

Aaron Warren from the Examiner: Available in a surprisingly roomy, and practical 5 door and 3 door hatchback, the Astra receives it's power from a sweet little 1.8 liter mill churning out 138 HP to the front wheels. This may not sound like much, but it's how that horsepower is channeled through the autobahn tuned chassis that impresses!

Sam Abuelsamid from Autoblog: We had a chance for a quick drive of a development prototype for Buick's upcoming plug-in hybrid crossover this week at the GM proving ground. The prototype was still wearing its Saturn grille and badging as that was the original intent of the program. When Rick Wagoner announced in late 2006 that the company would develop a plug-in hybrid, it was intended to the be the Vue.

Michael Andre Adams from the Atlanta Autos Examiner: For the style aficionado seeking a sexy, soulful, al fresca style whip for well under $50K, the Saturn Sky Red Line should be somewhere on your "fav-five" list, alongside BMW's Z4 and Mazda's MX-5. Under the hood, the Red Line has a 260 horsepower, four cylinder, 2.0 liter turbo engine that purrs along and kicks in when needed.

Daniel Barron from Autonet: Nickelback, Transformers and McDonald's are proof that just because something isn't critically acclaimed, it can still do well financially. On the other hand, Arrested Development, The Shawshank Redemption, and Sony's Playstation 3 are examples of things that have received plenty of great press but were canceled, bombed at the box office, and can't turn a profit, respectively. The Saturn Astra is another example of a good product that got canceled because it didn't sell. After only two short years, The Great North American Astra Experiment is no more.

Karl Perkons from the Canadian Auto Press: I think I have to declare the Astra 3-door the best-looking car General Motors is responsible for. Sure the Cadillac CTS looks good, but it's a premium car, and looking good is part of the deal, not the main attraction. The Astra 3-door can sell itself on looks alone.

David Schmidt from the Journal Register News Service: This car is about having fun on a sunny day. That means you put the top down, back it down the driveway and as long as quick rain showers don’t appear, you’re in business. Under these glorious conditions, the Saturn Sky really shines.

Brian Harper from the Canwest News Service: Saturn is on borrowed time as a General Motors brand, jettisoned along with Pontiac, Hummer and Saab by the automotive giant. This is a crying shame because Saturn's lineup, after a couple of decades of corporate indifference, comprises an eclectic mix of interesting and entertaining vehicles.